


The Perception of Present Past

by Callikoneko83



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Discussion of Current Events, Discussion of Homosexuality, Discussion of Immigration issues, Fluff, History Class, M/M, Pride, Professor Daryl Dixon, Student Paul Rovia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 07:03:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18027011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Callikoneko83/pseuds/Callikoneko83
Summary: A modern college AU. Paul is so close to graduating, but they've changed the requirements in his last semester. Now he has to take this new history class. He didn't expect to enjoy it, or for the professor to be so gorgeous!





	The Perception of Present Past

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EeveeGurl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EeveeGurl/gifts).



> So, I was having trouble writing Slow Growth, and it was suggested to me that I should try to write a one-shot just to help clear my head some. And as I seem to lean toward history being in my fics and ideas, DarylsBabyGirl came up with the idea of 'Daryl as the history professor' suggestion which sort of stuck in my head and wouldn't leave. This is the result after 2 days of working on it, and I dedicate it to her. Hopefully, everyone enjoys -- I certainly did writing it! It's not exactly proofread, so there may be some grammar mistakes and inconsistencies here and there, as well as a bit rushed, but it is also sappy and fluffy! :) I do also have a few images linked in where I felt it might help a bit, so be on the look out for those!
> 
> The title is derived from this quote: “The historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence.” ― T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets

“What do you mean, I have to take a history class?” Paul spat out at his advisor in anger. “We had everything figured out so that I wouldn’t have to take anything more than the last art and psychology classes. Two classes! So I could free up my time to get a proper job and prep for moving. I’ve already had an offer to be hired once I graduated, and taking a third class isn’t going to help the workload from the other two. They’re already advanced, and I need the time to get settled before taking the new job!”

“I’m sorry, Paul,” his advisor said, looking up. “There’s nothing we can do about it. The school board decided that because this history class is so progressive, anyone going into a few fields, including teaching and psychology, have to have taken this class to graduate. It has become a requirement to graduate. You can’t get out of it.”

With a sigh, Paul couldn’t help but nod. He had known what he wanted to do with his life since he was in high school. There had been no one to help him when his family had died and left him alone in the group home. There had been no one that wanted to look into why he had acted out so badly, why he sought so much attention. Art had become an escape for him, and he was good at it, so he still wanted to do that and teach it to others who might appreciate it, but he also wanted to help those who had been like himself. Those children who had been abandoned or had no one to really help them or listen to them when they were younger. And so he had decided that he would become both an art teacher and a guidance counselor.

He’d already been lucky enough to apply and get accepted for a future position at the nearby Hilltop Elementary. Apparently the current guidance counselor was retiring next year, so after this semester he could go in, work with her and meet the students and take over after she left. He would also be allowed to sit in and be a sort of teacher’s aide in the art classes, with the intent of eventually being a co-teacher in the class. But now it seemed that if he didn’t take this one class, one class that was a general class (that he had taken all of his first year of college to get them out of the way), he wouldn’t get the degree he needed to actually accept the position.

“Alright. What’s this class called and where’s it at?”

_______

[Paul slouched in his seat](https://hauteliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/image1.jpg), hoping that this class wouldn't involve a lot of research papers. He tapped his pen against his notebook as the classroom filled and they waited for the professor to arrive. This was already one of the more unusual classes he had ever been to. No books to buy, no syllabus, no notes or any introduction on the board at the head of the class. As he waited, Paul pulled his sketchbook from his bag, doodling and touching up one of his projects. As all of his classmates settled and the classroom quieted down, he heard the door open and looked up, only to have his mouth go dry at the sight of the man that walked in.

[The man](https://notodoesgris.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/moda-hombre-no-todo-es-gris-gafas-glasses-8.jpg?w=450&h=630) was wrapped in a thick gray woolen coat to ward off the chill of winter the semester had started in, with a black scarf wrapped around his neck. He ran his fingers through short brown hair, before removing the glasses to wipe away the condensation on the lenses and returning them to their perch on his nose. As the man shed his coat, Paul was treated to the sight of a pale blue button down with the sleeves rolled up, allowing glimpses of the bulging muscles of sculpted arms as the man moved. With the scarf removed, neatly trimmed and faintly graying facial hair framed a thin but soft looking mouth, with a beauty mark mole just barely peeking out. The blue shirt only enhanced the blue of his eyes as they darted around to look over the classroom and students already sitting. Paul was certain he’d have no trouble staring at this man for days, and had to quickly close his mouth that he just realized had dropped open.

Setting his coat and scarf on the chair behind the teacher’s desk, the man stood casually in front of them, letting everyone quiet further as they realized the professor had entered the room. As everyone turned their attention to him, the man finally spoke. “My name is Daryl Dixon. I am the professor of this class, and I’m certain that this class will not be quite like anything ya’ll have ever had before. You may call me Mr. Dixon, Professor Dixon, or even Daryl.” His voice was deep and gravelly, but rich, and the faint southern drawl made Paul’s heart pound in his chest. His professor’s voice was absolutely sinful!

“Welcome to Historical Impacts on Current Events. You will notice that there are no books and no syllabus for this class. There are a few reasons for this. First, education is expensive. Ya’ll have been here for long enough to understand that with loans and scholarships and whatnot.” Professor Dixon walked in front of his desk and leaned against it, his arms folded across his chest, displaying the powerful build and lean legs he had without realizing it. His voice was quiet as he spoke, but he had already captured the attention of everyone, and a pin could have been dropped and it would have been heard outside the classroom. “I have no intention of making your education even more expensive. I can’t control the cost of taking this class in what you pay to the college, but I can help to alleviate the costs of books and supplies.”

Glancing around the room, Dixon cleared his throat before continuing. “I don’t require ya to bring any book to my class. What we discuss that has a historical impact I will explain what is necessary and will offer up resources for use. Everything I offer up will be either a free website URL that I have already checked, a book that can be found in the campus library, or a book that, should ya wish to purchase it, can be found at any bookstore for less than twenty dollars brand new. Mostly, I’ll be offering sources on the internet, as they are free and widely available to everyone.”

The class murmured briefly, encouraged by the lower costs. Many, including Paul, had been worried when he hadn’t been given a book required to be bought for the class, and had determined that the professor was one of those that would give you the book last minute and make everyone scramble to get a copy as fast as they could to keep up in the class. Those usually tended to be pricey as well as an impact on how well you could learn things in the course. As the excited muttering quieted again, the professor spoke once more. “As well, we will be looking at how current events are going, and our best resource for that is both the internet and newspapers and magazines. All of which are relatively inexpensive. Because this course deals with current events, there will be no syllabus. Current events are constantly changing, and to attempt to predict them can sometimes be an effort in futility. We will discuss a few basic things and how they can become current events, but those will shift as to when we do them, as I deem necessary.

“History becomes history after it has happened. Every word I am saying now, as soon as it leaves my mouth, has become history. Recent history, but still history. But, history can change. It is written by the victors, it can be recorded by the losers, and it can be influenced by opinion and bias. One event in history can be explained in a myriad of ways depending on which point of view you view it from. And we’re going to be looking at these different views and see how they relate to current events happening in our world today or that has recently happened. Learning history is a way of learning to survive, to learn the cues that lead to similar events that happen over and over. The modern world has enough issues just based on people’s opinions and biases and fears, so we’re going to try to make it a little easier to predict an event and learn to sidestep unwanted repetitive events in economical, social, political, and even military fields.

“I’m sure you’ve all heard the phrase, ‘history repeats itself’. That phrase is more true than anyone really gives credit to. And we’re going to use that reality to help decipher the issues ongoing today. Does anyone have any questions?”

_______

This history class was nothing like what Paul had thought it would be. He had gone into it determined to be angry about being forced to take it and only put forth as much effort as he absolutely had to complete it with a decent grade to graduate. But the class hadn’t screwed up his timeline as much as he had feared. It only met twice a week for an hour and a half at a time, and what little homework there was usually revolved around reading an article or thinking over what had been discussed in class and coming back with a few new questions or how it might happen again in in the modern age. And besides that, the class was interesting despite everything Paul tried to do to not be absolutely fascinated.

Professor Dixon was enthusiastic about his subject and taught how historical events connected to everything that went on in a modern day light. It really was a class that taught you how history could impact the present and how everyone could learn from it. And the fact that the professor himself was a sexy piece of eye candy didn't hurt at all. Despite himself, Paul found himself thoroughly engrossed in everything Professor Dixon said.

“History doesn’t repeat exactly, but it does repeat as a metaphor. Similar events and themes seem to happen over and over again all the time. Wars, for example, are almost always started over a type of resource or a claim of ownership. The lead up to such a war is generally notable, and with hindsight, very obvious. Immigration and racism is another such topic. Let’s look at our current events -- our President has pledged to build a wall to keep Mexicans out of America because of border security and the crimes and drugs brought in from Mexico by immigrants. This is not the first time there has been a push against immigrants in this country, it is simply another cycle but with a new facade.” The professor paced in front of his desk as he spoke, glancing up once in a while at his students.

“Now many would point out to the World Wars and the treatment of the Japanese in America, but what I’m talking about is a push against immigrants without us currently being in a war against them. In the 1920s, there was a push against Jewish immigrants as they came to America because they would ‘hurt our economy’. A restrictive immigration legislation was enacted and it kept out a number of Jewish immigrants that could have otherwise been saved from the Holocaust. Earlier than that, in 1882, there was another immigration legislation that kept out the Chinese, called the Chinese Exclusion Act, again something that stemmed from economical and cultural tensions. The Chinese that had already immigrated had to send money back to their families and to pay off the merchants who had paid their passage to America, and would work for far cheaper wages than most to get whatever funds they could. Even earlier, in the 1780s, there was a push of not racism but religious differences, and the desire to keep out ‘Papists’ or the Catholics. The first chief justice of the Supreme Court even suggested erecting ‘a wall of brass around the country for the exclusion of Catholics.’”

Pausing his pacing, the professor pushed his glasses up from where they had been sliding down his nose and leaned against the front of his desk with [his arms crossed](http://www.normanreedus.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/artyahooau-212x300.jpg). “Who here can see similarities between these different events? In what way can we connect them, and what can we look for to spot future, similar issues?” A scattering of hands shot up and with a chuckle, Daryl started the debates.

_______

Paul found himself loving the class. He hadn’t expected to simply agree so much with what the professor had to say and adoring how he treated history and the different views it had with respect. How everything applied to modern scenarios. Professor Dixon was a very quiet man, patient with his students. He was kind and didn’t mince words, but encouraged questions and discussion, attempts to understand how it all fit together, and was ready to listen to the different opinions his students had on the same topic, sometimes even playing devil’s advocate to get two opposing views to see the other’s side. And each day Paul attended class, he found himself eagerly answering questions or offering up comments, just to have Daryl’s attention on him. He thrived on the attention, ignoring the way his cheeks would heat up, and the way hearing that softly drawled gruff voice and seeing those intense blue eyes looking at him would bring back thoughts of very frequent wet dreams and fantasies. In fact, the attention only fueled more fantasies.

But despite his fantasies, the professor had never shown any interest in any student in his class. He kept everyone at arm’s length, professional and distant, even while friendly and attentive. And Daryl Dixon was seriously hot. There was simply no way the older man wouldn’t already be in a relationship, and he probably wasn’t even into men. So Paul contented himself with fantasies, finding himself groaning out Daryl’s name as he woke in bed, his own release soaking his sleep pants, or as he touched himself in the shower.

So it was a little surprising when Paul thought he’d caught sight of his professor from the corner of his eye at the local pride parade. When he turned to look, he couldn’t find any sight of him, and so had chalked it up to wishful thinking. It had made his hopes soar for a few brief seconds before they plummeted back down to the earth. And the parade hadn’t gone well, either. A large organized group of homophobic bigots had crashed the parade. It had started as insults and jeers, until a very large, muscular drag queen had lost her temper and punched a burly ‘alpha male’ in the jaw, knocking him out. The parade had quickly turned to an outright brawl until the police arrived in riot gear, and starting hauling people away.

Paul had slipped away from the scene, but not before seeing another glimpse that this time he knew for sure was his professor. A larger, older man in biker leathers and a nearly shaved head was dragging the history teacher from the brawl into an alley, holding the smaller man back from storming back into the fray. Before Paul turned the corner and couldn’t see the pair anymore, his professor had turned and shoved the older man back, glaring and obviously snapping at him furiously. It made him wonder what his professor was doing there, and which side he’d been on, as well as what his relationship was with the older biker.

The incident at the pride parade had overflowed onto campus, and people from both sides could be found passing out flyers and picketing, both for and against LGBTQ+ with minor fights breaking out from time to time. While Paul was proudly and openly gay, he found it disconcerting that campus had divided so quickly. Even the history class had divided itself, quite literally. There was a clear line of empty seats between the two sides, each with buttons and flyers and shirts clearly displaying their opinions.

When Daryl had come into the class, a full three days after the parade, Paul was shocked to see the black eye he sported, one that was only just starting to turn into a rainbow of fading colors at the edges. While the professor had never been a smiley, happy, bubbly person in his classes, he had always seemed rather open and laid back, content with what he did. Now he openly glowered at the divide in his class, shaking fists clenching at his sides as he attempted to breathe slowly and steadily in an attempt to calm down.

“Lemme make one thin’ perfectly clear,” he started in a low growl, his accent thickening with frustration and anger in his voice. “This class is open ta people of all races, orientations, sexualities, and gender. Everyone in this class will show respect ta everyone else, or ya c’n get out. I don’t care if’n ya’ll are straight, bi, gay, pan, trans, white, black, asian, native american, ace, neutral, or relate as being a fuckin’ tree. Everyone in this class is here ta learn, and ya’ll are allowed ta learn. As the latest issue seems ta be the issue of homosexuality, I will not hear any slurs against anyone else in this room. That understood?”

The silence in the classroom was thick as most of the students slowly nodded their agreement. Then, a snide voice spoke up from the back of the room. “But they are unnatural and unimportant, and always have been. Why should we care?”

Daryl’s eyebrows raised up, and he looked over the top rim of his glasses at the student who had spoken. “They have always been unimportant and unnatural? Are ya kiddin’ me? Homosexuality has been around and documented for a long time, and many leaders and respected people of various cultures have been proven to be, or have been suspected to be either homosexual or bisexual.” He stalked over to one of the bookcases in the classroom, pulling out a book and striding back over to his desk. Leaning against the front of it as he had on the first class, he opened the book, flipping pages as he read bits and pieces from the book.

**“Among Indigenous peoples of the Americas prior to European colonization, a number of Nations had respected ceremonial and social roles for homosexual, and bisexual individuals in their communities; in many contemporary Native American and First Nations communities, these roles still exist. While each Indigenous culture has their own names for these individuals, a modern, pan-Indian term that has been adopted by consensus is ‘Two-Spirit’. Two Spirit people are generally recognized early in life, and raised in the appropriate manner, learning from the tribal Elders the customs, spiritual and social duties fulfilled by these special people in the community. Homosexual and gender-variant individuals were also common among other pre-conquest civilizations in Latin America, such as the Aztecs, Mayans, Quechuas, Moches, Zapotecs, and the Tupinambá of Brazil.”

Professor Dixon went on and on, flipping to various chapters in the book and relating how very long and strong the history of homosexuality actually was. He had a whole hour and a half, after all, and it was a historical issue. Homosexuality had been recorded in China since around 600 BCE, that in Japan had been documented for over one thousand years and that there were strong traditions of paintings and books documenting and celebrating such relationships. That Thailand had “ladyboys” for centuries, and Thai kings had both male and female lovers. That Greece and Rome had scores of tales and history about same-sex couples, and that every Roman emperor, except for Claudius, had a male lover. King James I of England had relationships with the first Dukes of Lennox, Buckingham, and Somerset. How Ancient Assyria thought that a man having sex with another man of the same social status would bring him good fortune. The Kama Sutra, written in the 4th century, described techniques for homosexuals performing fellatio.

Professor Dixon finished reading blurbs and excerpts from the book, and added, “Currently, some historians debate that figures such as Edward II, Richard the Lionheart, Philip II Augustus, and William Rufus were engaged in same-sex relationships. And, if you want to talk about unimportant, Hadrian, Emperor of Rome who had Hadrian’s Wall built at the northern border of England, had his male lover Antinous deified after his death. Not only was Antinous proclaimed to be a god, but a city was built to commemorate him in Egypt, and a formal cult created to worship him. Traces of this cult were found in 70 different cities, and children were named after Antinous. Statues of Antinous and monuments built in his name still exist today.”

Looking to the back of the classroom toward the one who had spoken originally, Daryl sneered himself a moment before schooling his face back into a more calm facade. “So, as you can see, homosexuality has been around for a very long time. Leaders and kings had same-sex relationships. Notable warriors, nobles, skilled craftsmen, and any number of different social standings. They were accepted, respected, and celebrated. Now, I don’t want to hear another word about this issue in this class. If you can’t respect your classmates, you will leave this class. I will respect your opinion and allow you to attempt this class again in another semester. Anyone that wishes to leave, will do so now.”

There was silence in the class once more. A bit of shuffling, but no one moved and no one else said a single thing. It was hard to argue with a professor who had entire passages of historical fact to back him up. With a single nod, Daryl motioned one hand to the door. “If ya stay in this class, I expect everyone to come with a paper explaining in detail how homosexuality is viewed today versus how it was viewed in history and why those views are the same or different. Class dismissed.”

Paul took his time gathering up his notebook and bag, waiting for everyone else to file out of the room before he approached. “Professor?” he asked quietly, not wanting to startle the man putting the book he had been reading from away.

Daryl turned to see who had stayed and raised an eyebrow at his student. “Mr. Rovia. What can I do for ya?”

The intent gaze made Paul squirm a bit where he was standing, inwardly cursing as he felt his cheeks heating up. “I, uh… just wanted to say thank you. I thought today was an amazing lesson, and I know a lot of us appreciated it.”

“Appreciated it? I didn’t do nothin’ more than tell the truth.”

“It still meant a lot. Especially with what’s going on lately.” Fidgeting a moment, Paul looked back up, meeting his teacher’s eyes. “Did you get that black eye at the pride parade?”

An exasperated huff and a roll of eyes was his initial response. “Yeah. M’brother’s an idiot and started a lot of crap bringin’ his group in. I got caught in the middle.”

Caught in the middle? So he hadn’t been there because of the pride parade? Just trying to stop his brother? Paul’s heart sank in despair. Despite having thought that there was no way Daryl Dixon might be interested, there had still been that hope from seeing him at the parade. The lesson today had shown he was accepting, but accepting different orientations and people didn’t mean that he was one of them as well. Perhaps he was just doomed to crush on people who were completely unavailable. “I… I see. Well, I’m sorry to bother you. Thank you again. It was a great lesson.”

He was halfway to the door when a quiet, gravelly voice stopped him. “I don’t think ya do see, not really.” Footsteps sounded behind him, and suddenly he could feel the heat and sheer presence radiating off the older man standing behind him. “I’ve seen the way you watch me in class. The way you blush when I look at you, how you start panting when I’ve been talking directly to you. The way you squirm in your seat, like you’re trying to hide an erection. You fail at that, by the way. You sit high enough in the seats that I can see right under the desk.”

Paul tensed at the admissions; he had thought he was far more subtle than that! A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and he practically jumped out of his skin with a startled squeak that he would forever deny he ever made. “I know all of this, because I’ve been watching ya just as ya’ve been watching me,” the low voice rasped in his ear. The next thing he knew, he had been spun around to face the professor, and his lips were claimed in a scorching kiss. Daryl’s lips were soft and chapped, one hand firmly holding his chin and the other wrapping the long strands of brown hair around it. The older man’s tongue slipped between Paul’s lips, tasting and mapping out the contours of his mouth, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

With a muffled groan, Paul melted into the kiss, grabbing at his professor’s strong biceps, gliding the palms of his hands up and down to feel the muscles he had dreamed of having beneath his hands for months. A desperate whimper escaped as Daryl nipped at his lower lip before pulling away, and chuckled at the sight of his student staring up at him with wide dazed blue eyes and a panting mouth.

“I’m interested. But I won’t sleep with one of my students. If ya still interested after the semester is over, give me a call.” His hand was gently pulled from the solid bicep and a pen was pulled out, a number written across Paul’s palm. It was punctuated by a brief press of lips and a quirked smile. “Have a good day, Mr. Rovia. I’ll see ya at the next class.”

The rest of the day, Paul was floating on a cloud. Two more months until the semester’s end, and then he would have his fantasies come true!

**Author's Note:**

> The part about the immigration was sparked by this comic: https://andrewpegodadotcom.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/untitled.png?w=700  
> Which I then took and ran with after actually looking up the years and immigrant races to see what actually happened.
> 
> The part which starts with ** is actually fully taken from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_homosexuality
> 
> And, if anyone is curious to know more about Antinous's life, death, and deification, you can find that also on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antinous
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos and let me know what you thought!


End file.
